Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data transfer from one computing device to another computing device.
Background of the Related Art
Onsite server maintenance and support is sometimes necessary. For onsite service of the servers, a technician or other support personnel connects a server management console to the individual server, for example using a cable, to configure the server. It is often a tedious and time-consuming process to establish a data communication link between the individual server and the management console. Alternatively, wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth or WiFi may be used. However, Bluetooth requires pairing of the devices, which may take up to 20-30 seconds. Similarly, WiFi may take a prolonged period of time to establish the connection.
On the other hand, Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol has an advantage of rapid connection between devices (which may take only 1/10th of a second). However, the devices are typically required to be brought in very close proximity (such as less than 4 cm) to establish a communicative coupling between devices. For a small amount of data, it is possible to complete data transfer or exchange within one second or a few seconds. However, a longer interaction time may be required to accomplish some operations, such as a firmware update, remote control, or diagnostics where the technician would be required to hold the management console close to the server for several minutes. Moreover, in a datacenter or other server environment that typically requires high data storage and/or management capacity, modular servers are typically used, such as rack-mounted servers or blade servers.
Referring to FIG. 1, there are a plurality of servers 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F housed in various racks of a server cabinet 1 which measures about close to 2 meters high or even taller to maximize physical storage efficiency. However, interacting with servers above the technician's normal operating height range (e.g. servers located near the top rack of the chassis) can be tedious and uncomfortable especially when the duration required for data transfer is long. Therefore, an improved method and system for carrying out data transfer is desired.